Page 122 of Vandal Unbound

“Els-bells. I don’t give nicknames to just anybody. Of course I vote for you.”

I tug her to me, then reach for Daisy and pull them in tight.

“Looks like I’m keeping you both.”

EPILOGUE

VANDAL

“What’s in the bag?” I ask Havoc when he arrives at the house three weeks later.

“Nothing,” Havoc says, hoisting a large canvas bag that’s obviously filled with an exceptionally bulky item.

“Dude. That is way too big to be nothing.”

“Okay,” he says. “It’s nothing you need to be concerned about. But let’s just say we’re about to undertake some sophisticated engineering.”

Elsie runs into the living room. “Did you bring the things for the fort?”

“It’s meant to be a secret fort, Els-bells.”

Elsie stops, then looks at me, then goes to Havoc and whispers to him. “If we build it by the pool, we can pretend we have a moat.”

Havoc offers her his fist for her to bump. “Like the way you think.”

“What mischief are the two of you up to?” Daisy asks when she walks into the living room. She looks pretty as a fuckingpicture in a denim dress that floats around her thighs and little boots that make a token effort at making her taller.

It’s rare for Daisy, but she’s wearing a little makeup. Nothing too much, but just enough to make her best features even prettier.

Elsie pretends to zip her mouth and throw away the key.

Daisy laughs, and the sound does that funny thing it always does to my chest. Three months since Camila was arrested, it still gets to me. And I don’t take it for granted.

It took Daisy and Elsie a while to settle after what happened. There were bad dreams and nights when a teary Elsie would climb into our bed. And there were also tough mornings when we had to drop her off at kindergarten. It’d break my heart as much as hers when she’d cling to my neck and beg me not to leave her.

The school has been great. So has the family therapist Doc from New Jersey helped me find.

They say time heals.

I’m now a big believer that it’s true.

Right now, Elsie runs through our house like she owns it, and I find myself wondering what it would feel like to give her a sibling.

“Have fun on your date,” Elsie says, shoving us toward the door.

“You behave for Havoc,” I say.

“I always do,” she says, but every adult in the room laughs because we know how she can be.

The sun is beginning to set as Daisy climbs on the back of my bike. And I feel instant ease when she slides her arms around my waist. Her half helmet bumps against mine.

“You excited?” I ask.

“For dinner?” Daisy replies.

I turn to look at her. “Yeah.” I slide my hand along her thigh, nudging the dress higher as I go.

“Maybe seventy percent excited.”